The Conservative party says it would leave councils to make all their own planning decisions, even if that meant risking a development free-for-all in some areas, writes Joey Gardiner.

Speaking at a fringe event at the Tory party conference this week, Jacqui Lait, the shadow minister for planning, said the Conservatives would not step in to help councils that were trying to fight developers but had failed to set out coherent local plans.

Tory plans to abolish the regional planning framework, which effectively protects areas from inappropriate speculative development, mean that local authorities without coherent local plans would be wide open to speculative applications.

Lait said councils would need to get used to the new powers. She said: “If you don’t have an agreed plan then you’re going to be open to any planning application a developer wants to throw at you.

“We won’t step in to get you out of a mess if you don’t have a proper local plan – that’s the quid pro quo. You’re going to have to be responsible – get used to it.”

A large number of councils have yet to adopt local development frameworks, which set out what types of development can go where in their area.

Without the regional planning tier, council will find it difficult to argue against developments at planning appeals, meaning developers may find it much easier to get consents.

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